Measuring apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 T. C. PERRY ET AL MEASURING APPARATUS Filed May 26.1933 W m o Md J 1 m. NW m N M MN \vwm NW A 1 J I -1 i fl {N\ m E 0 4/ 'ii h II T H A a, W m 1 v H NM MN W w K A m Vivi Aw E a b Nov. 7, 1933.

Nov. 7, 1933. T. c. PERRY El AL 1,933,632

MEASURING APPARATUS Filed May 26, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' .l/lllllI/l viil/1,1 vllll/l/I/llilllI/ll/l NNN Patented Nov. 7, 1933 MEASURINGAPPARATUS Thomas 0. Perry, Sand Springs, kla., and

Herbert R. Mathewson, Lyman, S. 0.;

said

Mathewson assignor to said Perry Application May 26, 1933. Serial No.673,080 7 Claims. (Cl. 33-135) The present invention is a measuringappaw ratus or table useful in the manufacture of articles ofpredetermined sizes from sheeting ma terials.

In the manufacture of such articles as table cloths, bedspreads, bedsheets, and other articles of sheet material, the sheeting is usuallydrawn from a roll or bolt of fabric of a continuous strip, made of aplurality of lengths, each secured or 10 seamed at adjacent ends forconvenience in handling during previous processes, such as bleaching,dyeing, stamping etc. Tlie lengths which compose the continuous stripare of varying lengths, usually from 50 to 200 yards each.

1 It is customary among manufacturers of bedding and table cloths tomake up the sheeting in avplurality of lengths, say for bed sheets andspreads 90 inches, 99 inches and 108 inches, which are more or lessstandard. It is customary, in making up these articles, for the sheetingto be drawn from a continuous roll into a lay, or a plurality of layersor piles of the length desired, and then cut. In the better grade ofmaterials, it is customary for the fabric to be drawn from the roll on atable and then measured to the desired length then nicked or cut at theedge, and then torn so that the tear willfollow a weft thread, therebyobtaining a straight sever or cut, so that when the fabric is laundered,the torn edge will be straight.

In making up sheeting in this manner, of a giyen length, say 90 inches,it frequently occurs that if a seam or other defect in the continuousstrip is reached, there is not suificient length .remaining between thecut end thereof andthe seam or defected area, to obtain another sheettherefrom of a required length, thereby necessitating losses or waste ofconsiderable lengths of fabric, it being understood, ofcourse, that thesheet to be made must be a continuous nonseamed length of fabric.

The object of the present invention, is the provision of a device orapparatus which will determine for the operator, sufficiently in advanceof a seam or defect, the manner in which the fabricmaybe cut or severedinto required or desired lengths, with a minimum of waste.

In the drawings there is shown one form or embodiment of the inventionfor carrying out the objects thereof but it will be appreciated thatshowing is of an example only and variations or modifications of theinvention may be made within the scope and substance ofthe claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus for carryingout theinvention; I

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus with cloth or sheeting removed;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2;-

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing different type ofcutting device being emp e Figure 5 is a sectional view takensubstantially on line 5-5 of Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is side elevation showing the measuring table top or deck intwo sections with a scale or other similar. indications, by which theoperator can practice or obtain results of the invention.

Referring more in detail to embodiment of the invention shown in thedrawings, a roll of cloth or sheeting, as received from previousprocessing treatments, such as bleaching, dyeing, stamping, etc.', andmake-up of a plurality of sections or lengths of fabric, having theiradjacent ends seamed or otherwise secured together, is indicated at 10.This rollis mountedon a beam 11 suitably supported by a frame or rack12, so that 0 the fabric may be reeled'off of the beam.

It is preferred to unwind the roll 10 by an automatic mechanism 13 so asto reduce the strain on the fabric being measuredand thus avoid unduestretching of the fabric. This is accomplished by 8 the mechanism 13feeding the fabric or sheetings "from roll 10 into a loose loop or anaccumulation of loose folds, as indicated at 14, which may be supportedon a cradle orvbin 15 from which the fabric is drawn by the operatoronto the measuring table T. n

The table T may be of any suitable design or construction which providesa surface upon which the cloth is laid and measured in suitable lengths,and which has associated therewith an indicator of suitable type whichwill indicate, or cause to be indicated, to the operator the lengths towhich the sheeting must be out between the cut or advancing edge of thesheet and the'following seam or defect, in order to obtain a minimum ofwaste.

In order to reduce as much as possible the length of the table, it isproposed to have it comprise two or more decks or surfaces over whichthe fabric or sheeting passes; in the present instance, however, thetable is shown as comprising 7 two decks. It will, of course, beunderstood that instead of providing a table, any other means maybe-used over which the fabric is drawn.

The table illustrated for the purposes of this application isapproximately 279 inches and comprises a lower deck 16 suitablysupported by legs 17 and an upper deck 18 superposed above the lowerdeck and coextensive therewith. and suitably spaced from the top surfaceof the lower deck by spacing members, as indicated at 19. The clothwhich has been deposited in the cradle 15is inserted between the twodecks at one end 40 of the table and passes over a roller 21 provided,at the other end 20 of the table, supported in suitable bearings 22 fromwhence the cloth reverses its direction and is caused to pass over thetop surface of the upper deck 18.

All measuring is reckoned from the edge 40 of the table or any othersuitable index or zero point adjacent thereto which may be provided.-Remote from this edge 40 of the upper deck 18 are positioned or disposedsuitable indicators which denote the distance from the edge 40 of theupper deck, and there are as many of these indicators as may serve thepurposes of each user of this apparatus. However, in ordinary practicein the manufacture'of bed sheeting three lengths are usually standard.Therefore, the marker 23 is disposed at, say, 90 inches from themeasuring point 40, the marker 24 at 99 inches, and the marker 25 at 108inches. These indicators or markers may take the form of adjustableclamps embracing a side edge of the table, as particularly illustratedin Fig. 3, and each having an extension overlying the surface of the topdeck 18 and which has a sharp cutting edge 27 on its undersurface. Inthe manufacture of bed sheeting of higher quality, the sheets are tornfrom the stock by hand so that the tear will follow the weft thread andproduce a straight edge at the line of sever. v

The cutter 27 is employed to nick the edge of the sheeting by liftingthe sheeting up under the enough material between the severed edge ofthe strip and the approaching seam or defect, from which a sheet ofstandard size can be obtained, and since the sheets which are severedfrom the stock must be seamless and without defects, it frequentlyoccurs that as much as 89" of fabric are wasted.

To avoid this waste and to 'make it possible to reduce possible loss tonot more than the difference between standard sizes of sheeting to beobtained (which in the present case is 9") the upper deck is providedalong one edge portion thereof with an elongated sight opening extendinglongitudinally of the upper deck, preferably from end to end thereof.Through this sight opening, the operator or an assistant can view theseams or defects in the cloth as it passes over the lower deck 16. Theobservation of these seams is facilitated by present practice in themills by attaching, at the points of said defects or seams, a tag to theedge of the sheeting during some previous step in its processing.Therefore, these tags can be readily observed through the elongated slot28 which is preferably covered with some transparent material 29.

Associated with the edge of the lowerdeck an with the edge of the upperdeck in the direction of the travel of the cloth up to the indicators23, 24 and 25, is a scale 30. from which the operator or an assistantcan determine in what manner the stock fabric can be best severed intostandard lengths between the free end of the stock and of the defect orseam between the indications.

aand b, and so on according to the scale indication shown in Fig. 6 upto the scale indication m and 0, which latter indicate when a seam ordefect has appeared between them that five 90 inch sheets can beobtained with a maximum waste of 9 inches. Should the seam or defectoccur exactly at any of the indications from b on down the scale, nowaste will be occasioned. All seams and defects will appear at somepoint in the scale between the indicators 0. to o inclusive, but shouldthe seam or defects be overlooked between the indicators 12-0, the scalehas been worked out beyond to further indicate the manner in which thefabric can be severed into standard units with a minimum waste betweenits free edge and said seam or defect, as may be observed from Fig. 6.For instance, if a seam or defect should occur between the indications oand p, there will be a waste of at least 18 inches, and if it appearsbetween y and 2 there will be a waste of 36 inches, etc.

It will be understood, however, that in the use of the present device,after a length of sheeting has been severed, the end of the remainingfabric stock must be drawn tocoincide with the zero point 40 from whichall calculations are made. Before the edge of the fabric has been madeto so coincide with the point 40, the defects may be observed and theoperator determine from the scale the best manner in which to sever thesheet into standard sizes between the edge of the fabric stock and suchseam or defect as may appear through the slot 28.

In some instances it may be desired instead of type of cutting device.Therefore, three slots 31, 32 and 33 are provided transversely acrossthe upper deck, said slots coinciding with the measurement of thestandard lengths of sheeting cutting the sheet by hand to provide someother desired. Astationary cutting edge 34 is provided for each of theslots 31, 32 and 33 and will cooperate with the slicing knife 36preferably pivoted at one end 37 to a block 39 and provided with ahandle 38 at its other end. Any other type of knife may be used such asan ordinary rotary cutting knife. The block 39 slides on a guiderod 39aso that the knife may be adjusted to cooperate with anyone of the knifeedges 34 of said slots.

The feeding mechanism 13 preferably comprises a frame 41 upon which ismounted two feeding rollers 42 and 43, the roller 42 being stationarilymounted and the roller 43 being pivotally mounted, as at 44 andyieldably held against the roller 42 which has a pulley 45 on one end. Ashaft 48 is rotatably mounted on the lower part of the frame 41 andcarries a drive pulley 46 having a belt or other suitable drivingconnection with a motor 49; and the pulley 45 also has a belt, or othersuitable driving connection 4'7, with the pulley 50 on the shaft 48.

It will also be understood that instead of providing the table with apluraliy of decks, there may be only one deck or surface and that theprovision of the table in two or more decks is merely for purposes ofcompactness and to enable one operator to both tear the sheeting and toobserve with facility the point in the scale where the seams or defectsappear.

It is obvious that the invention is not limited to the form ofconstruction shown, but that this may be modified in many ways withinthe scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:--

l. A device for measuring sheeting in definite unit lengths, includingmeans over which a multiple of unit lengths of sheeting to be severedmay be passed, said means including an index with which the advance endof the sheeting is to register, and markers spaced with reference tosaid index for indicating a plurality of definite unit lengths in whichthe sheeting may be severed, and means disposed along the path of thematerial in relation to said index for indicating the number of suchlengths the sheeting may be best divided into between the advance edge.of said sheeting and a following seam or defect in said sheetingadjacent the indicating means.

2. A device for measuring sheeting in definite unit lengths including ameasuring table under and over which a strip of sheeting may be passed,said table having an index thereon from which measurements are made andwith which the advance end of the sheeting is to register, markersspaced with reference to said index for indicat-' ing a plurality ofdefinite unit lengths into which the sheeting may be severed, meansdisposed along the course of travel of the sheeting for indicating thenumber of such unit lengths the sheeting may be best divided intobetween the advance edge of the sheeting and a following seam or defecttherein adjacent said indicating means, and a sight opening in the tableoverlying the underreach of sheeting for permitting the operator toobserve said seam or defect in the sheeting in relation to saidindicating means.

3. A device for measuring sheeting in determined lengths of sheetingfrom a continuous supply, including a table-like support over which thesheeting is drawn and on which it is measuredand severed, said tablebeing of a length that is a multiple of the unit sheeting length andhaving a zero point from which measurements are made, a plurality ofspaced markers disposed along the length of the table and removed fromsaid zero point to indicate the points at which the sheeting may besevered for obtaining determined lengths; and a scale disposed along anedge of the course of travel of the sheet for indicating the number ofsuch lengths the sheeting may be best divided into between the advanceedge of the sheeting and a following seam or defect therein.

4. A device for measuring sheeting in determined lengths of sheetingfrom a continuous supply, including a table-like support over which thesheeting is drawn and on which it'is measured and severed, said tablebeing of a length that is a multiple of the unit sheeting length andhaving a zero point from which measurements are made, a plurality ofspaced markers disposed along the length of the table and removed fromsaid zero point to indicate the points at which the sheeting may beseveral for obtaining determined lengths; and a scale disposed along thecourse of travel of the sheet for indicating the number of such lengthsthe sheeting may be dividedinto between the advanced edge of thesheeting and a following seam or defect therein, and fabric splittingmeans on said markers by which the sheeting may be cut and severed indetermined lengths.

5. A device for measuring sheeting in determined lengths of sheetingfrom a continuous sup ply, including a table-like support arranged insuperposed decks over which the sheeting is drawn in a tortuousdirection from the lower to the upper deck, said upper deck having azero point from which measurements are made, a plurality of spacedmarkers disposed along the length of the upper deck and removed fromsaid zero point to indicate the points at which the sheeting may besevered for obtaining determined lengths, a scale disposed at one sideedge of a lower deck and along the course of travel of the sheet forindicating the number of such lengths the sheeting may be divided intobetween the advance edge of the sheeting and a following seam or otherarea of the fabric.

6. A device for measuring sheeting in determined lengths of sheetingfrom a continuous supply, including a table-like support arranged insuperposed decks over which the sheeting is drawn in a tortuousdirection from the lower to the upper deck, said upper deck having azero point from which measurements are made, a plurality of spacedmarkers disposed along the length of the upper deck and removed fromsaid zero point to indicate the points at which the sheeting may besevered for obtaining determined lengths, a scale disposed at one sideedge of the deck next to the upper deck and along the course of travelof the sheet for indicating the number of such lengths the sheeting maybe divided into between the advance edge of the sheeting and a followingseam or defect, and an elongated slot in the upper deck and extendinglongitudinally thereof through which the operator may observe a seam ordefect in the sheeting 120 passing over the next lower deck and withinthe range of said scale.

7. A device for measuring sheeting in determined lengths of sheetingfrom a continuous supply, including a table-like support over which 125the sheeting is drawn and on which it is measured and severed, saidtable having a zero point from which measurements are made, a pluralityof spaced markers disposed along the length of the table and removedfrom said zero point to 130 indicate the points at which the sheetingmay be severed for obtaining determined lengths; and a scale disposedalong the course of travel of the sheet for indicating the number ofsuch lengths the sheeting may be divided into between 135 the advanceedge of the sheeting and a following seam or defect therein; a cradle atthe forward end of said table, and means for feeding said sheeting froma roll and delivering it to said cradle in a loose loop or folds fromwhich the 140 sheeting is drawn over the said table.

THOMAS C. PERRY. HERBERT R. MATHEWSON.

